Four More Texas Counties May Apply for Disaster Aid for April Storms

AUSTIN, Texas – Individuals and families in Austin, Colorado, Waller and Wharton counties can now register for assistance for the April 17-24 severe storms and floods after the Federal Emergency Management Agency granted the state’s request to add them to the disaster declaration.

They join the four counties already designated for FEMA’s individual assistance program under the April 25 federal disaster declaration: Fayette, Grimes, Harris and Parker counties.  

Texans who suffered damage or losses as a result of April severe storms and flooding are encouraged to apply for assistance. Disaster assistance for homeowners and renters may include grants to help pay for temporary housing and essential home repairs, as well as other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses.

Texans in the eight counties who sustained disaster related damage or losses can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362 (FEMA) or TTY 800-462-7585. Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may call 800-621-3362. Multilingual operators are available. The toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.

Those who had flood or storm damage should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but underinsured applicants may be eligible for help after their insurance claims have been settled.

Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration are available for eligible survivors. SBA helps businesses of all sizes (including landlords), private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. Disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries.

For more information, survivors may contact SBA Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting the SBA website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339

For more information on Texas recovery, visit the disaster webpage for the April storms at fema.gov/disaster/4269; or visit the Texas Division of Emergency Management website, txdps.state.tx.us/dem. Follow us Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion6.

# # #

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.